2018 Meeting of the Virginia Association of Communication Arts and Sciences (VACAS)

Communication empowers. That is to say, effective communication offers us the power to reinvent ourselves, to influence others, and to change our world. At the same time, we should not forget that powerful social interests can use their preferred access to media and communication resources to influence public understandings of crucial social issues. In this way, power and communication are inextricably linked, in ways that that both empower and ensnare us. This conference represents an opportunity for communication faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students—especially those based in Virginia—to explore the power of communication and to share their latest work in the field of communication.

We encourage submissions across the whole range of the communication field, including, but not limited to: media studies, journalism, political communication and campaigns, public relations, communication theory and rhetorical criticism, critical/cultural studies, science and environmental communication, intercultural communication, interpersonal/small group communication, health and risk communication, and communication education/pedagogy.

We welcome submissions from faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students, and papers/posters can present completed work or work-in-progress. Undergraduates in particular are encouraged to submit their work. In short, we envision this conference as a particularly supportive venue for undergraduate students to present their exemplary work in communication research and critical analysis